February 23, 2015

One chance meeting on a white beach in Thailand would set their story in stone.

Eighteen and fresh out of high school, Stevie Appleton is about to embark on a form of freedom she has never known. When offered the chance to go to Thailand to celebrate the end of high school, she takes it. What she doesn’t know is that saying yes would lead to meeting him.

Having just finished his Bachelor, Julian Moors can’t wait to party away the last three years of university. All he wants from his holiday in Thailand is to relax on the beach, drink and have the time of his life. However, the moment his eyes land on the beautiful blonde reading on the beach, he knows he can’t stay away. All his other wants no longer matter. What does matter is getting to know the girl behind the mockingbird.

Enter Stevie and Julian’s memory vault.

No names. No past. Just right now.

Seven days to fall in love.

Seven days until their end.

Seven days until they both wake up heartbroken.

And four more years until they meet again.

“So, who was the girl you were talking to on the beach earlier today?” Dean asked, nursing his beer.

Julian scanned the area around the makeshift dance floor and bar. No Blondie. He knew the moment he walked away he should have asked for where she was staying. But no. He went for the ‘you’re going to miss me when I’m gone’ approach. But it seemed to turn out to be the ‘I’m walking away and I’ll lose you’ goodbye. A move only made by an idiot.

Staring at the bonfire, he pouted. “Just a girl.”

Dean let out a low laugh. “Sure,” he slowly dragged.

“What?” Julian raised a brow.

“Mate, I’ve seen you in clubs and on campus. Never seen you stumble like you did. You’re normally in and out with the phone numbers,” Dean explained.

“Whatever,” Julian sighed, knowing his mistakes. “Have you spoken to Willa?” he asked, trying to change the subject.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Dean shake his head.

“She’s giving me the silent treatment after our fight. She hasn’t been herself since we got here.”

Turning his head, Julian stared at Dean and smiled at the concerned glint in his eye. “Maybe you should leave the beach party and go home to her?”

Julian didn’t bother to look if Dean was walking back to the villa. He knew deep down that Dean loved Willa just as stupidly. Fools are the ones in love. And love is for the fools.

Fools, fools, fools.

But wait.

I’m a fool.

Not a ‘love’ fool.

But one of those fools who wait.

“Excuse me, you haven’t seen my friend have you?” her voice asked.

Julian froze and a smile instantly crossed his lips. He quickly turned around to see Stephanie in a white summer dress that hit her knees. She tilted her head and raised a brow at him.

You’re here, Stephanie.

“Your friend?” he asked, his smile not yet disappearing.

She nodded. “Yeah, he’s this annoying idiot. He wouldn’t be hanging out with you. You seem too serious by the way you’re glaring at that fire.”

Pursing his lips, he nodded his head at every word she said. When she stopped talking he let his eyes roam her face. Taking in the glint in her eyes, her cute nose and her plump lips. He kept his stare on her mouth longer than necessary and he knew that.

I’m going to kiss you, Blondie.

I don’t know when.

I don’t know how.

But I will.

His heart twitched at the thought. Friends kissed. He was sure one would be harmless. Clenching his eyelids tight together, Julian ignored the desire in him to want to kiss her right here, right now. It was all superficial. He enjoyed her exterior. The interior, her personality, was one he was going to take his time learning. She had already fascinated him with her book choice and her smart mouth. He wanted to know more.

“Julian,” she said his name so perfectly it was like each letter was voiced carefully.

Once he opened his eyes, he pushed his desired thoughts away. The hesitant look in her eye screamed ‘friends.’ In the end that’s what they’d be. But he’d be damned if he missed out on the knowledge of what her lips were like on his.

Baby steps, Julian.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” he confessed.

Stephanie shrugged. “You wanted me to come for some reason. And well, my roommate booted me out of the room. I don’t know where the other girls are so I thought what the hell.”

“This feels like a booty call. I am offended,” he teased.

She shook her head. “That was lame.”

“Do over?” he asked.

“Not on your life,” she sassed.

Shoulders sagging, Julian spun around and looked back at the fire. “You’re kinda mean, Blondie.”

Seconds passed and she stood next to him, also staring at the flames. “You should be used to it. We’re friends, remember?”

When Julian Moors returned from Thailand he left behind all his belongings, his father and only brother in Melbourne and moved to Sydney. One girl shattered his world and left him with more questions than answers.

Behind the persona, Stevie Appleton tries to outrun her past. Nightmares and memories have started to collide, putting her future and her heart at risk. No one can know the secrets she tries to keep locked away, even if it means betraying the people she loves the most.

Everyone has a story but not everyone has a past quite like Stevie and Julian.

When they meet years later, don't expect a happy ending. The past holds skeletons and not even these skeletons can be buried.

Looking across the dance room, Stevie noticed Rob standing alone by a table. Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. It was hard for her to let go of her past and be with him. Something about his eyes and his smile reminded her of the man she left behind all those years ago. Being together was meant to make Jewel, the woman from the bar, jealous but somehow Rob fell deeper. And as hard as Stevie tried, she couldn’t make herself to fall in love with Robert Moors.

Julian.

His name made her flinch. She tried not to remember that name but it had always been hard to. Stevie rubbed the back of her neck at where she had his initial tattooed. It was a spur of the moment decision that he had chosen to do in order to leave her comfort zone. Looking back, she should have had it removed but she couldn’t get herself to do it. Somehow they were the better chapters in her life, even though it was chapters she wished she could just forget. There were days when she wondered if he kept her initial tattooed on his chest. According to him that was where her name belonged. She was foolish to believe him then. They were just a ‘summer fling.’

The times after Thailand had been her darker times. Only her stepbrother, Jarred Harper, brought her back. When she left for London, she vowed to never let her secrets about Julian and Thailand to ever be revealed to Jarred. Sighing, Stevie placed the envelope on the table next to her and glanced back at Rob. It wasn’t something she wanted to do, to tell him it was over, but she couldn’t stay with him. She never had a problem being with men, that she knew well, but Rob was different. Rob was an exception.

If only I met him first, then maybe things could have been different.

Rob had never looked at her the same since she had called it quits. But Stevie knew why he hadn’t. Since he laid eyes on Alison O’Connor, Stevie knew things had changed. No matter how much Rob tried to hide it, she knew he was attracted to the young Sydney socialite. And that secret smile he directed towards Ally as she danced with her little cousin, CeCe, confirmed it.

Shifting her focus back at Noel and Clara dancing, Stevie was envious. Just the way Noel looked at her best friend with such love made her jealous. It was disgusting how jealous she was. She was happy for them but a love like theirs was only for the privileged and the pure. A love like theirs was only for them and no one else. Everyone who watched were intruders. Outsiders looking in.

"It'll happen for you."

Turning her head, she instantly smiled at the man next to her. His freckles had always made her smile. If she ever wanted to make someone proud, it would always be him.

"Big talk for someone who already has it," she said.

Jarred sighed and then gave her a tight smile. "Stevie, don't be so hard on yourself. What they have, what Annie and I have, you'll have it someday. You're a good person that made a mistake. Don't punish yourself for the rest of your life. You deserve love, just don't run or you'll miss out."

I already had it.

I already ran.

I already missed out.

The guilt weighed heavy on her chest and threatened the resurfacing of the memories she had. She had left him. She gave him no reason or chance. She just wanted to vanish.

I was afraid to be in love with him.

I was afraid that maybe he could love me.

It was too spontaneous.

It didn’t make sense.

“I don’t deserve love, Jarred. You were in London. You saw what kind of person I really am. What I’m really capable of,” Stevie said, remembering those nights he had come to rescue her.

“Don’t. You’ve come a long way since then. You were lost. I don’t judge you base on those times. I know what a kind hearted person you are. You are responsible for that,” Jarred said, pointing at Noel as he kissed his wife.

It was the only thing she had ever done right in her life and that was making sure Clara found her way back to Noel. Convincing Liam had been easy. All it took was alcohol to get him to open up. Clara had been a tougher task—she had almost given up her happiness for Liam’s.

“I didn’t do anything. It was all them.”

Jarred snorted. “You were the one to convince Liam to go to Boston. You know Clara is forever grateful to you.”

Stevie focused down at the envelope and then back at her stepbrother. “I’m going to miss her,” she confessed in a small voice.

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Jarred nodded then said, “Me, too. You know, one day, someone is going to want to love you the way Noel loves Clara… maybe even more.”

Stevie’s heart ached. She wanted a love like theirs but she knew she never deserved one. Not when she had it. Not when she decided it was better to walk away than feel it. And after that last morning in Thailand, she had decided she never wanted to feel anything as intense as she did with Julian. No matter how much she had wanted to.

The truth is, Len Webster is a romance-loving Melbournian with dreams of finding her version of ‘The One.’ She calls Australia home, but secretly wishes a man with a beautiful accent would whisk her away. She’s been called a hopeless romantic and a firm believer of happily ever afters, which she doesn’t object to.Having just completed her Bachelor in Business and Commerce, Len can be found daydreaming of her next Europe adventure or swooning over Mr. Darcy. Her best friends are a hot cup of tea, red velvet cupcakes, a warm jumper and her MacBook, ready to write to her heart’s content.

When Miss Man-Eater…Raquel Adams is in desperate need of a media makeover. Her already floundering reputation is made worse by her recent antics, and she doesn’t seem to care. Raquel lives life on her own terms and doesn’t answer to anyone, least of all Clayton Cox, the guy charged with making her a media darling. His take charge attitude is a problem for strong-willed Raquel, but she can’t deny the attraction she feels toward him.Meets America’s spin doctor…Clayton Cox is the boss, and damn good at his job. He’s hired to improve your reputation and does so by swooping in, saving the day, and moving onto the next one. But he can’t move one from his newest client. Raquel is maddening, and gorgeous enough to make him forget his rule of never getting involved with a client. But Clayton can’t forget what happened the last time he mixed business with pleasure.All’s fair in love and war.Raquel wants Clayton, and nothing is going to stand in her way, not even Clayton himself. He doesn’t know what hit him, and soon finds himself juggling between having to improve her reputation and feign off her advances. But Clayton’s determined to show Raquel who’s in charge at any cost, even if that means thwarting her seduction efforts. Will Miss Man-Eater change or ways? Or will Clayton become the latest victim entangled in her web?

“But that’s just the latest thing, the tip of the iceberg you’ve been creating for years. Shall we go through some of the other stuff?” Clayton clearly didn’t expect her to answer, because he picked up the magazines he’d brought from the desk and put them down in front of her. It was bad, but Raquel refused to hide despite how much she wanted to cringe. Rumors of hard partying, cocaine use—even though she had never used it—infidelity, orgies, stripping. And that was just the rumors. As a finale he had a list of the names she had acquired—bitch, whore, slut, jezebel, home wrecker, and her moniker, Man-Eater.This is embarrassing, Raquel thought, seeing everything in black and white. It was something she hadn’t thought about; hell, half the time she cultivated it, but now she was left with regret. David was the final straw. He took her already fragile reputation and pummeled it to the ground. And what was his response when she asked him about it? “I just wanted a piece of the Man-Eater, but you didn’t even put out. Hope it was worth it.” “That’s not all true,” she said. Great, Raquel, way to sound like an intelligent, self-assured woman.He shook his head, looking at her as if she was crazy. “No one cares. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that, but you need to get it through your thick skull. Your reputation is in the trash, and your job is on the rocks. You need me, which is why you called me. Because I am the best, and the only one who can repair your current reputation. You may not want to need me, but you do.”Raquel reached for the pitcher full of water in the middle of the table, pouring a glass and taking a long drink, wishing it was tequila, while she composed herself. “What happens now?”He raised his eyebrows, acknowledging that she ignored his statement. That was the best he was going to get from her, so he just needed to chill. “Right now? You are going to go the hell home and stay there. Don’t go out, because I can’t trust you to go anywhere. Even your local family restaurant isn’t safe when you’re around. Read over the contract,” he passed her a manila envelope that contained a bunch of paperwork, “carefully, because you are basically signing yourself over to me for the next six months. If you agree to the terms, then let me know and I will tell you where we go from here.”She opened the folder, noticing how thick the contract was. “What is your strategy?”“I’m not telling you before you agree. If you want it, you’ll sign it. And if, God forbid, anything else comes up, call me immediately.”

Marie Garner hails from North Carolina, and has had her nose in a book for as long as she can remember. Story ideas have been floating around in her head for as long as she can remember when she finally decided to write them down. She is an avid football fan, often found rooting on her Washington Redskins or her alma mater NC State. She has taught for the past 7 years, with a short break to earn her Masters degree. She loves London, having lived there for a year, and loves taking all those crazy ideas to make stories you enjoy!

Sunder lead singer and guitarist Sebastian Stone has
everything—fans, fame, and fortune. He also has a heart full of bitterness and
a reputation for a short-fused temper. But an outward reputation rarely reveals
the true man inside. Facing assault charges after trying to protect his younger
brother, Sebastian is sent to Savannah, Georgia to lie low until the dust
settles in L.A.

Shea Bentley is beautiful, kind, and hiding from the very
lifestyle Sebastian has always embraced.

When the mysterious, tattooed stranger begins hanging out at the
bar where she works, Shea is quick to recognize he is nothing but trouble, but
she's helpless to the way her body lights up every time his intense gray eyes
tangle with hers.

They both soon find themselves drowning in a sea of desire and
passion that won’t let them up for air.

Sebastian knows firsthand secrets never die, and he’s not the only
one who’s hiding them.

Loving someone always comes with a price. But will it be Shea’s
past that costs them everything?

I don’t know how AL Jackson does it but with each book
she publishes, she keeps getting better.Setting the bar higher and delivering emotion packed stories from start
to finish.A Stone in the Sea was no
different.From page one until the end I
was captivated.In true AL Jackson
fashion she grabs your heart, fills it with angst, and hands it back to you,
never to be the same again.

I absolutely loved Sebastian Stone. A rocker, a bad boy,
a man trying to take care of his family.He is sent to Georgia with his band to lay low, for a while, and meets
the beautiful, mysterious Shea.She has
secrets that she is hiding too, and when these two come together you will cheer
for them until the finish.

I loved reading the different POV’s, being able to get
into both of their heads.I absolutely
love how strong Shea is.Sebastian has
quickly moved to the top of my BBF list, and I can’t wait to see what else is
coming from Amy.

Anyone that is a fan of AL Jackson, will love this
book.Do yourself a favor and move it to
the top of your TBR.

⟿JAMIE♡♡

I froze when I felt the presence behind me. The song
slowly blinked out, the last note lingering in the dense air, before I slowly
looked over my shoulder to find Shea. Thoughtful eyes met mine in all their
warmth—covering me, pulling me in, dragging me under.

“You play,” she said, a statement rather than a
question.

“A little,” I said with a shrug.

She scoffed. “I would hardly classify that as a little.”
She shuffled toward me, barefoot, and still wearing that robe. “You have a
beautiful voice,” she whispered, and again it took on that reverent tone, like
she was recognizing something inside me I didn’t see.

She ran her fingers up the back of my neck and into my
hair, and I lifted my head to it and tried not to moan like a girl when she
pressed her hot mouth to my Adam’s apple, kissing me there like the temptress
she was.

“Such a beautiful, beautiful voice for a beautiful,
beautiful man.” The words vibrated against my throat.

“Shea.” My response was hoarse, uttered toward the
ceiling as she kissed up and down my throat. With her daughter’s innocent face
running like a reel through my mind, I searched inside myself for some kind of
resolve. For courage. For a speck of integrity. “I should go. I shouldn’t be
here. I shouldn’t have stayed. Shouldn’t have come back.”

Never should have come in the first place.

“You’re exactly where I want you to be,” she coaxed
against my skin.

“Shea.” It was a plea for one of us to find reason.

“Please,” she whispered, hands sinking into my
shoulders.

Weak.

Weak.

Weak.

That’s what she made me.

Groaning, I gave, because she already had me, and I
swiveled a fraction, grabbed her by the hips, and pulled her onto my lap. She
was quick to straddle me, a smile taking over her face as I palmed her ass, all
those waves of shiny soft hair falling down around us.

“It’s hardly fair, you know,” she said.

“What’s not fair?”

“You…looking the way you do. Then you turn around and
have a voice like that? Singing and playing that way?” She pulled back with a
grin. “Tell me you don’t play guitar. You know what they say, a man with a
guitar automatically becomes ten times sexier than any other guy in the room.”

I curbed a snort.

Didn’t I know it.

And that was exactly the shit I’d come to hate.

“Pair that with this face and this body…” she continued,
purely playful.

Any other girl started talking like that and I’d have
tossed her from my lap.

Instead, I kneaded my fingers deeper into the flesh of
her ass, rocking her into my cock that was at the ready and begging for more.

A.L. Jackson is
the New York Times bestselling author of Take This Regret and Lost to You, as
well as other contemporary romance titles, including If Forever Comes, Pulled
and When We Collide, as well as the New Adult Romance Come To Me Quietly due
out January 7, 2014.

She first found a
love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She
filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an
emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she
shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and,
with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L.
now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her
husband and three children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones
she loves.